The five United Nations Regional Commissions (UNRC) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have recently launched a global survey to collect relevant data and information on trade facilitation and the implementation of paperless trade from their respective member states. The five entities comprise the Economic Commission for Africa, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Economic Commission for Latin America, the Economic Commission for Europe and the Economic and Social Commission for South Western Asia.

Outcomes of the survey, including a joint UNRC global report aim to enable countries to better understand and monitor progress in trade facilitation, support evidence-based policy-making, provide a cross-regional knowledge sharing platform and further strengthen south-south cooperation. The joint UNRC report will be published in 2015.

The global survey is a key initiative under the framework of the Joint UNRC Approach to Trade Facilitation, which was agreed upon by the Executive Secretaries of the five UNRCs in Beirut, in January 2010. It will enable the UNRCs to present a joint (global) view on key issues in trade facilitation. The questionnaire for the global survey was jointly prepared and finalized by UNRCs and OECD. The data collected will also support the updating of the OECD Trade Facilitation Indicators.

The global survey builds on an annual regional survey carried out by ESCAP since 2012. Its results have provided its member countries with useful policy reference and cursor on implementation of trade facilitation measures.

The global survey covers the implementation of some important measures included in the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and of measures aimed at enabling paperless trade, that is, the conduct of trade using electronic rather than paper-based data and documentation. A recent ESCAP report (download below) found that “next generation” trade facilitation measures have just as much potential as more traditional measures to reduce trade costs and increase intra- and extra-regional trade. The full implementation of cross-border paperless trade is expected to potentially generate an additional USD 257 billion in annual export revenue for the Asia-Pacific region alone.

The global survey will be mainly conducted through the questionnaire, supplemented by desk research, and, if necessary, followed up by face-to-face or telephone interviews for  data and information clarification and verification. The questionnaire has been sent by the UNRCs to their respective focal government agencies and/or selected experts since September 2014. Compiling the survey responses, verifying data, constructing databases and writing study reports will take place from the time the survey is dispersed to mid-2015. It is expected that the final study report be published by mid-2015.

Any African experts who are interested in sharing their expertise and knowledge on different aspects of trade facilitation and paperless trade in their country are encouraged to participate in the survey. More information is available from the UNNExT website or you can enquire from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

See also: The Trade Facilitation Implementation Guide (TFIG), developed by United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), with contributions from its UN Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT)